seymour



(No Model.)" M. J. SEYMOUR.

I METHOD OF HEATH 1G PETROLEUM OIL.

No. 306,965. Patented Oct. 21, 1884.

UNITED States MARVIN J. SEYMOUR, OF OLEAN, NPHV YORK.

METHOD OF HEATING PETROLEUM-OIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,965, dated October21, 1884. Application filed Mayfl, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARVIN .l'. SEYMOUR, of Olean, in the county ofOattaraugus and State of New York, have invented certain new ill anduseful Improvementsin Methods of Heating Petroleum-Oil; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact deseription of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improven'ient in the method of heatingpetroleum-oil. In the winter or during cold weather nearly all the oilproduced must be warmed or heatedin order to allow the ice, water, orsnow which gets into the oil-tanks during storms, and the wa ter, eitherfresh or salt, which some of the wells produce, to settle to the bottomof the tanks before the pipelines will receive it. Hitherto the heatingor steaming the oil, as itis commonly called, has been accomplished bycarrying the steam through a coil of pipes in the bottom of the tank,or, more commonly, the steam is blown into the oil or water in thebottom of the tank. In either case this method of heating the oil isquite expensive, as the boiler must be located conveniently near the oilto be steamed, and it is not uncommon to see boilers being hauled aboutthe country for this purpose. The object of my present invention is toprovide a simple, effective, and economical method of heatingpetroleum-oil, and free from the objectionable features of the methodsheretofore employed.

With these ends in view my invention consists, essentially, in utilizingthe natural as it escapes from the well as a heating or superheatingagent for precipitating water and other impurities from petroleum-oil.

My invention further consists in utilizing the natural gas both as afuel and also as a medium for transmitting heat to tanks ofpotroleum-oil.

My invention further consists in utilizing the natural gas as a fuel,and also as a medium for transmitting the heat to the oil anddischarging the heated gas freely into the oil.

My improved method will be more fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in. which Figure 1 represents an ap paratus fordischarging heated natural gas into the cold oil, and Fig. 2 anapparatus for passing the oil through a heater.

A represents a suitable pipe for conducting thenatural gas from anoil-well to a heater.

1 represents a heater of any convenient construction adapted to consumethe natural gas freely. The pipe A, Fig. 1, is provided with a branch,to, which conducts a portion of the natural gas to the base of theheater, and discharges it injcts 0, suitable to be ignited, while aportion of the pipe A is coiled within the heater exposed to the heatfrom the ignited jets c, and passes fromthcnce into the tank of cold oilI). The gas in thepipc A becomes heated during its passage through theheater 13, and is discharged freely into the oil through suitableperforations, (I, in the pipe A, extend ing along or around the lowerportion of the oil in the tank; or, instead of the branch (1, leadingfrom the pipe A, a supply of oil may be fed as fuel.

In Fig. 2 the pipe A. leads the natural gas directly to theigniting-jets in the heater, and an oileondueting pipe, 1'], leads fromthe base of the oil-tank into the heater, where .it is coiled in such amanner asto be thoroughly exposed to the heat from the burning gas, andfrom thence back into the top of the tank. A circulation of the oilthrough the pipe 1'] will be kept up, as in the boiler and rangeincommen use. Again, steam led from a distance, and consm uently too coldfor heating the oil, maybe passed through the heater and exposed to theheat of the natural gas, and bei n superheated thereby may be introducedfreely into the oil, or may be passed through the oil in pipes.

The apparatus above referred to forms no part of my present invention,the gist of my improvement being the utilization of the natural gas as aheating agent in rendering petroleum limpid, thereby precipitating thewater and other impurities therefrom and making the oil merchantable andfit to be received by the pipe-lines.

The use of the natural gas, which is commonly allowed to waste, isamatter of great economy, and the gas is eminently adapted to thepurpose.

One ol'the great advantages of the natural gas over ordinary fuel forheating purposes consists in the natural pressure with which it escapesfrom the earth, thereby furnishing a constant supply of fuel to theignited jets, While ordinary fuel must be replenished from time to timeby artificial means, and the natnral pressure is also of greatadvantagein forc- 2. The method of precipitating water and otherimpurities in petroleum-oil, consisting,

essentially, in heating natural gas by connecting one or more gas jetsor burners with the gas-supply pipe and arranging said burners in closeproximity to said supply-pipe,whereby the gas is heated, and thendischarging the heated gas into the cold iii.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

MARVIN J. SEYMOUR.

Witnesses DORA A. Sm'rn, HORACE A. L. Bnl-u-znstnr.

